The present invention relates to a rotary machinery system. The present invention more particularly relates to a rotary machinery system having a tubular shaft rotatable about an axis and having a hollow core, a second shaft coaxial with the tubular shaft and rotatable about the axis, at least a portion of the second shaft being located in the hollow core, and engagement means coupling the tubular shaft and the second shaft for rotating the tubular shaft responsive to rotation of the second shaft. The invention further relates to a rotary machinery system having two coaxial inputs, one of the inputs being directly coupled to an output shaft, the other input being coupled through a clutch assembly to an output shaft. The rotary machinery system converts rotation about a first axis to rotation about second and third axes.
Rotary machinery systems are well known. Rotary machinery systems commonly include an input shaft rotatably coupled to one or more output shafts. In operation, the input shaft is rotated by a drive means such as an engine or motor for rotating the input shaft. The one or more output shafts rotate in response to rotation of the input shaft. The input shaft and the one or more output shafts are rotatably coupled by coupling means such as a clutch, a gear system or both.
Some prior art rotary machinery systems have included a gear system for coupling the input and output shafts. Torque from the input shaft is transferred through the gear system to the output shaft. The gear system has included a first gear coupled to the input shaft and a second gear coupled to the output shaft, the first and second gears each having intermeshing teeth for rotating the second gear responsive to the first gear. The first and second gears may be enclosed in a housing, the housing having apertures for receiving the input shaft and the output shaft and being sealed to contain oil or other lubricant. Collectively, the gear system and housing form a gearbox. The side of the gearbox having an aperture for receiving the input shaft is the input end of the gearbox.
Prior art rotary machinery systems have also included clutch systems for coupling the input and output shafts. A clutch system is required to protect the drive means, which drives the input shaft, in the event rotation of the output shaft is stopped. Such a clutch assembly allows the input shaft, and rotating portions of the drive means, to continue rotating while the output shaft is stopped. This prevents damage to the drive means, and allows the drive means to continue to rotate other drive shafts which may be coupled to the drive means.
Prior art rotary machinery systems have required the clutch systems to be physically located between the drive means and the housing containing the gear system, at the input end of the gearbox. Such a location was necessary for separating the input shaft from the gear system and the output shaft.
However, locating the clutch system between the drive means and the gearbox can cause interference between the clutch system and the driving components. When the clutch system is located as in prior art rotary machinery systems, the clutch system can interfere with driving components such as rotating shafts, belts, pulleys, chains, etc. Moreover, to reduce the risk of such interference, considerable space is required between the drive means and the input end of the gearbox. Further, locating the clutch system at the input end of the gearbox has complicated maintenance of the clutch system, including replacing wearable elements of the clutch system, such as clutch plates and friction disks.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for a rotary machinery system which allows more flexible placement of engagement means such as clutch systems between an input shaft and an output shaft. The present invention provides such a rotary machinery system.
Other prior art rotary machinery systems provide more than one output shaft rotating in response to rotation of an input shaft. In some applications it is desirable to have one or more output shafts coupled to the input shaft through a clutch system, and one or more output shafts coupled to the input shafts directly, without a clutch system.
Such prior art rotary machinery systems have required multiple gearboxes and elaborate interconnections to convert rotation about the axis of the input shaft to rotation about the axes of the plurality of output shafts, including a clutch system for only one or some output shafts. Accordingly, there is a further need in the art for a rotary machinery system having clutched and non-clutched outputs in a compact space.